Welcome Aboard The Ship Of Dreams
by Demac
Summary: Every passenger upon the Titanic has their own story. Read the tales of lovers and their romance, drama, and lust.
1. Please, introduce me to your friends

**Summary**

**Emmerson and Lori**

Emmerson is travelling with his family to New York where he will meet the woman his parents have arranged for him to marry; his parents, three sisters and brother, fives cousins, uncle, aunt, and grandparents are travelling with him. The first class family are determined to get their money's worth while on the ship of dreams. Lori is travelling alone in the cheapest section of the ship, having to deal with infestation of stow away rats ancd cockroaches. When she suddenly meets a mysterious man who says his name is Emmerson, the two people fall in love. Lori lies about her class to impress Emmerson, but he all the while is hiding his own secret; he has a fiance.

**Katherine, Isaac, and Marian**

Isaac and his fiance, Marian, are on their way to New York so they can begin their lives together right. When Isaac meets up with his childhood love, Katherine Hunter, they start out as friends. Suddenly, Katherine reveals her love for Isaac. He also reveals he has a fiance on board with him. Katherine hushes him. "She doesn't need to know." They hide their love from Marian, but Katherine is hiding her own deep dark secret. She has a husband who went missing in the army.

**Michael, Sarah, and Ty**

Michael is secretly harboring his love for Sarah; one day, he proposes. She accepts, but will she tell him she is carrying Ty's baby and not his own? Sarah and Ty hold their secret love together only by the hope that their child will be delivered safely. Michael is oblivioues to Ty's existance, and Ty is oblivious to the fact that Sarah is engaged. Will her treachery ever be revealed?

* * *

Author's Note: The first chapter is coming very soon, do not stop reading! But, the deal is, if you want me to keep writing, you have to keep reviewing :)


	2. Time to Board

Marian smiled and fixed Isaac's white collar. "You can't get on a fancy ship such as the Titanic and expect the captain not to hit you on the head with his telescope if your collar crooked!" Isaac laughed along with her, the thought of an old man white a long silver weird wildly smacking him upon the head with a shiny telescope making him chuckle. Marian finally tamed his collar into the right position and stepped back, examining her work of art. "Marvelous, darling." Isaac grinned and held his arm out formally; Marian linked her arm with his and allowed him to escort her from the fancy limousine to the line for boarding.

"Do you have our passes, dear?" Isaac nodded in response, pulling out the two tickets. He quickly slipped them back into the pocket within his tuxedo; the passes were too valuable to hold when being this close to the scum boarding the ship. After a few moments of waiting in line with many more first class passengers waiting to board the unsinkable ship, they handed their passes to a sailor at the large door. The man inspected the passes before looking up at them. "Marian and Isaac?" The couple nodded and were permitted passage onto the ship. The moment their feet set foot beyond the door, the joyous laughter within overwhelmed them. Isaac smiled and led his fiance down a hall, where the sounds seemed to be drifting further away with every step they took.

"Let's find our rooms before we join in with the laughter." Marian nodded in agreement, following her love through the maze of hallways. At last, he stopped. "I do believe this is our stop, ma'am." He held the door open for her and gave a low bow. Marian giggled and walked past him, standing just inside the lounge. She held her hand out; he took it, got on one knee, and kissed it softly. Marian smiled gemtly. Isaac smiled as well, the adorable crooked grin making her legs grow weak.

He stood once more, taking her arm once more. "Now, Isaac my darling, I do believe it is time to join in the festivities." He frowned. "Can't we have festivities of our own?" He leaned closer grinning. She pulled away quickly. "I do believe this is not proper, Isaac!" Isaac's frown deepended as she walked from the room alone. He quickly followed her, intertwining his arm with hers once more. "It wouldn't be proper for you to walk in alone either." She grunted in reply, deciding it was best to ignore his snide comments.

They soon reached the end of the labyrinth of hallways; Isaac led his fiance into the great hall, where many smiles, laughs, and hugs greeted them. Marian put on her mask of happiness and drifted off with several ladies, her friends. They sat at a long table and drank tea, discussing (what else?) the wedding. "My dear," her friend Kristina said with a large and genuine grin. "Your dress must be white, it just fits your form! Soft ruffles down the front, strapless, long to the ground with a train..." Her mother creased her forehead, frowning. "Ruffles down the front? Strapless? A train?" She laughed nervously, continuing. "Not appropriate, child. I was thinking, you could wear the wedding dress I wore to my wedding! To the jaw and floor, no train at all, not ruffles, real diamonds..." Marian itched with annoyance.

Isaac, on the other, was completely enjoying himself. His father had long wrinkles that deepened when he spoke, "And tuxedo from the grandest little textile store in London. We can get the finest caterers. I was thinking Ze Chison's-" Isaac's closest friend, Henry, laughed, smacking his father on the back happily. The old man grunted in annoyance at the man's all too friendly actions. "Forget the food," said Henry playfully. "Let's talk about the wedding presents... Especially the one your new bride will be giving you when you get to the Bahamas the day after the wedding..." Isaac's father shouted over the laughter that had spattered the group of young men around them. "Inappropriate, Henry Piera." Henry chuckled, smacking the man's back several more times. "Only joking, sir."

* * *

Emmerson followed the same procedure as the rest of the first class passengers; it was a boring routine, as it was identical to any other ship's boarding ritual. Once he arrived on the ship, though, his extremely large family swarmed around him, congratulating him on his unknown fiance. His mother gave him a tight hug, her green eyes, identical to Emmerson's, watering. "I'm just so proud of you, son!" His grandpa chuckled. "Don't choke the boy!" His mother laughed softly and released him from the rib-crushing hug.

Emmerson smiled at his large family, who mirrored his smile as though imitating him. His family was chattering, their voices a low hum that seemed to blend in with the soft buzz of the room's talk. He seemed to be listening to his older brother talk, but he was thinking instead about the letter from his mystery fiance. It had come with a picture as well. Her name was Linda; She was 4 years older then he, but much less educated. He had been to college, and she had been a high school drop out. The only reason they were getting married was because Linda's family needed the money, and Emmerson's family needed the society's attention.

Linda had dull gray eyes and black hair to her waist. His father had spent many hours describing the girl, trying to make Emmerson fall in love before ever meeting her. His plan had failed, but Emmerson tried hard to please his family and acted as though he had not failed. His fiance was very tall and lanky, her neck long and graceful. She was the perfect woman of society; but, she was not the perfect wife for Emmerson.

Emmerson had bright green eyes and blond hair. His features were exciting, beautiful, and unique. Linda was... plain, ordinary, and normal.

Although he dearly wished he was off with his brothers enjoying the ship's wonders, there were apparently wedding plans to be made, despite the fact that it had seemed the wedding was already so planned out that even one more plan would cause Emmerson's brain to explode. His eldest brother, visiting from Harrison College, put his thick arm around Emmerson's broad shoulders. "Dear brother," Jefferson, his sibling, said quietly, finishing the conversation he had thought he had been having with Emmerson, "This will all be over very soon, I promise. When I married Kendall, I hated her. It was arranged, and I hated the girl. She was fourteen when I was eighteen; I was much too old for her, and she was undeveloped and unable to give me children. But that girl I had begun hating, soon grew in to the beautiful girl I had always wanted to marry. Her brown eyes slowly turned a soft shade of blue, her body developed, and her light brown hair bleached itself blond. I soon fell in love with her; perhaps your story will end happy like I am."

Emmerson chuckled lightly to himself. "We can't all meet the right woman, Jefferson." His brother laughed along with him. "We can only hope," he said before trotting off with Emmerson's mother. He thought over Jefferson's words. _Grew into the beautiful girl he had always wanted to marry... Well, Linda can't grow much more. She's already a giant._

* * *

Lori stood in a long line of dirty third-class hobo's, all of which were waiting to take a primitive health test. All they did was check their heads for lice, ask if they were pregnant, and felt their stomach to check for any lumps. After almost an hour of waiting, the doctor called out, "Next!" Lori hopped up onto the stool and the doctor sighed. "Name?" "Lori Evans." "Age?" "Nineteen." "Gender?" "...Male." The man looked at her before mumbling and writing, "Female..."

The old man named Dr. Jenkins then rubbed her head and neck line. "No lice... good, very good..." The man then ran a hand through his hair. "Are you pregnant or have you recently had intercourse." Lori giggled, her soft pink lips curling up into a grin. "No." the man nodded, checking a few empty spaces on his paper. He then rubbed her stomach gently. "No lumps," he concluded. "Your free to go. Next!" Doctor Jenkins handed her the paper as she walked past. "Show this to the boarding guards."

Lori snatched the paper and climbed a ramp up to the end of the next line. It was much shorter then the last, and soon the boarding directors were examining her physical and boarding pass. "Hmmm..." the man said quietly, holding the physical up to the light. "Hmmm..." he repeated. After almost a whole minute of humming, Lori snatched the two from him. "Should I leave or are you done?" The man's face contorted with annoyance, and he pushed her shoulders, causing her too fall back into a man behind her. The man quickly helped her stand up as the boarding guard spoke. "Get on the boat before I push you off the ramp next time." Lori was almost passed him when she stopped walking and faced him. "Never push a girl, jerk." She then retaliated by pushing him, and he stumbled back into the railing, shocked. Lori grinned. "Thanks for the pass, babe." She then darted onto the ship; she hoped they wouldn't follow her and carry her from the ship of dreams.

They didn't; she sighed a long sigh of relief. She had sold her mother's necklace in order to get a fare onto the ship. Once they arrived in New York, she would work hard in the factories until she could buy her mother a new necklace. If she had been taken off the ship, the vending of her mother's prized possession would have been worth nothing at all.

She looked around her; instead of the grand and ornate hall that had greeted Emmerson, a dirty lounge filled with trashy people greeted Lori. The people shuffled around, trying to claim beds for themselves in small rooms branching off of the lounge; the label 'bed' was vague. They were more like cardboard covered in ripped sheets and a thin mattress. Lori walked into the first room; Within was a small boy, about age 4, and his mother and Father. On the bottom bunk there was an old lady who was snoring loudly from the bed where she lay. Lori left for the next room; the room was full already.

Inside the next one was three men and an empty bunk. The three men looked sinister as they invited her to stay within their dorm. One reached out to grab her wrist, so she punched his stomach and ran out quickly. The next room she entered had four bunks as well (two sets). On one set was a woman and her husband. On the other was a girl about Lori's age with dark hair and dair eyes. She set her single brown bag onto the bed and said, "This is my bed." The girl on the bottom bunk shook her head. "No hablo ingles." Lori sighed. "Yo hablo espanol. Donde esta el bano?" The girl pointed down the hallway with a single frail finger. "Gracias." Lori left the room and followed where the girl had pointed. There was two overflowing toilets and a long line of woman and children.

Lori sighed; suddenly, an idea occurred to her. She scurried down the hall, into the lounge, and out of a door to her right. She didn't know where the door led, but she hoped it would eventually lead to the First Class levels. Her hopes came true; there was a tall staircase going upward. As she climbed, she could hear the rats scurrying around. The higher she got, the less rats there were; this only showed to her the true social-segregation there was against people of different classes. _Walking is NOT helping my urine issue._

She finally reached the top of the stairwell; she peaked through a crack in the door at the top to reveal a large chattering family; among them was a man a little older then she, by the looks of it. She sighed; the only way Lori would make it through the buzzing crowd and into the clean, 17 toilet restroom was if she made a mad dash like a crazy person, or stole a dress. She went with the second option. Sneaking down the stairs one level below, she peaked through the door that now stood like a giant before her; beyond was a long hallway with lots of doors, identical to the one that concealed her. One of these doors must lead to a room. She knocked on one door; A short woman answered it immediately.

"What do you be wanting?" Lori frowned seriously. "Wrong room, I apologize." The woman slammed the door in her face, so Lori calmly walked to the next one in hopes no one would be there. She knocked, but several moments passed with no answer. Lori pulled a small knife from her pocket and unlocked the door quietly. When the soft *click* sounded, she slowly opened it, the door screeching like a mouse about to snatch cheese off the counter. It was dark within; a good sign that no one was there. She turned on the small, kerosene lamp upon the beautiful beside table and opened a dresser.

Jackpot.

Within was a beautiful silver and green dress. She unhooked it, and quickly changed into it, also stealing some lemon to make her smell good. She then shut the door behind her, returning everything to how it had been a moment before she had entered. She locked the door and then sneaked back up the staircase, almost tripping over the length of the dress. Lori walked casually into the decorated ball room; no one even seemed to notice her. She walked according to society's rules into the women's restroom. It was almost as though to fit in with society you merely had to look like them. She relieved herself before walking back into her new-found staircase.

She pulled the dress above her ankles as she slowly climbed down the stairs. _What do I do with the dress? _She wondered. There was no dresser in her room; she stopped walking as she noticed a sign beside a door she was about to pass that read, 'Utility'. She tried the handle: locked. She pulled the knife from her boot and clicked the lock open. The door squeaked open and she stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. She stripped off the expensive dress, revealing the dirty brown pants and button up white collared shirt beneath; they were boy's clothes, but they fit. She looked around the closet for a place to hide the dress, but the only spot she could see was the broken rafters. She climbed onto a bucket tediously, stuffing the dress into the ceiling's hole.

Once stepping down, she looked up and checked every view. Satisfied that the dress was hidden, she left the closet, sneaking back downstairs, returning the dirty room and rat infested basement of the Titanic.

* * *

Sarah giggled, linking arms with her best friend, Beth, as they reached the short line to enter onto the Titanic. "He will propose any day now, Sarah," Beth mumbled softly, changing the subject from gossip to marriage rather suddenly. Sarah rolled her eyes. "Not again." Secretly, Sarah didn't know whether or not she wanted Michael to propose; she loved him yes, but she was unsure that she was ready for such a permanent, dedicated, committed, and serious relationship. Sarah was like a cougar; always hungry, always searching for more prey. Men were like prey to her; when she craved them, she got them. When she was done with them, she threw whatever was left of them back into society's ring. Beth knew this, but often tried to convince her what she did was wrong. Sarah, although a cougar, was also a donkey. She was stubborn and listened to no one.

Instead, she did everything her way, whether they failed or not. Many people thought Sarah to be rude, but she could not just stop being herself; it was just another piece of her personality.

She could be obnoxious, rude, oblivious, blunt, and loud, but she could also be nice.

Occasionally...

At last, Sarah handed Beth's and her own boarding pass to the directors. Then nodded them through. The two ladies were greeted by hugs from Michael, and Beth's husband, William. The four of them chatted for some time before the men decided they would wander around to search for something to do that night. Beth squealed at Sarah as the men dissapeared amidst the mob of passengers in fancy dresses and expensive tuxedo's before saying, "You two are meant to be!" Sarah shrugged softly. "Maybe." Beth's smile faded into a frown, but she did not reply.

Sarah looked over Beth's shoulder to see a young man with broad shoulders and black shaggy hair. His eyes were the darkest shade of brown she had ever seen. He was laughing with several men and women, but suddenly met eyes with Sarah. They stared at each other, eyes locked, until a woman cupped his jaw, pulling his face close to hers as though about to kiss him. Beth dragged Sarah away; "Let's go make sure the maid's pack our stuff up alright." When he had jerked his head away and looked back at the where the girl had been standing not a moment before, so that he might look at her bright eyes again, she was gone.

Perhaps he would see her at the masquerade ball that night.

Secretly, Sarah was hoping the same thing.

* * *

_Author's Note: First chapter, kind of a... really long intro, describing their personalities a little and the story line. Kind of. Hope you like it :)_

_Please review, as always :)_


	3. Nice to Meet You

Isaac rubbed his temples, sitting on a long couch in the lounge of their apartment-like rooms on the Titanic. There was a very beautiful and ornate lounge, three bedrooms with queen beds, two bathrooms, and a kitchen. Marian stood not far from Isaac, a half wall dividing the two rooms. She flipped the large pieces of chicken so that the opposite side may be cooked as well. She shook up the pan, causing the chicken to slide around in the vegetable oil.

The half wall was only the only thing dividing Marian form Isaac; there was also a thick, dreary silence that enveloped the air around them like a thick blanket that threatened to suffocate the being trapped within. Even Henry seemed to feel the deafening silence, despite the fact he was usually quite ignorant and clueless, oblivious even to the most obvious of things. Marian's mother sat across from Isaac, occasionally trying to break the barrier of silence between them with a conversation. The replies were always very short and annoyed.

At long last, Marian's best friend, Kristina, stood up and motioned to Marian. "How about we take a break and go drink some tea? Lance!" A man in a tuxedo came walking gracefully in. He gave a slight bow and replied, "Yes, madame?" Kristina blushed lightly and replied, "Could you please finish up dinner for Marian tonight? We are going out for tea." The man gave her a smile and a wink as he gave a courteous bow to the group. "Yes, madame." He walked into the kitchen and shook the pan, sliding the chicken along the vegetable oil once more.

Kristina, with a knowing glance at Lance, practically trotted from the room with Marian towards the dining room. Marian's mother, no longer wishing to endure the silence, stood as well. "I'm off to bed." She brushed off her skirt and then walked off towards her room, shutting the door violently behind her. Henry and Isaac stood the moment the door at shut. "Finally!" Isaac laughed and the two friends left the room, their Italian boots clicking and clacking on the beautiful wooden floors.

As they walked through the halls, Isaac studied the walls. Upon them were beautiful paintings and carvings. Along the ceiling was a glittering chandelier, the sound of glass tapping against one another resounded through the empty hallway. Once they reached the end, to their right they could see a large open lounge; the lights were very dim within, and alot of people were dancing to simple a drum beat, low and slow; Isaac could guess that this was not the type of place Marian or her parents would approve of.

That was precisely the reason they went inside.

Henry grinned and pulled Isaac over to a pool table. "First class don't usually play pool." He smirked and tossed Isaac a stick, taking one for himself. They started a friendly game of pool, but the game soon turned into a gamble. Henry laid down three one hundred dollar bills and smirked. "If anyone thinks they can beat me step right up! If you win, you get three hundred dollars." The men listening to his wager snickered to themselves. "But if I win, you owe me three hundred."

No one stepped up right away, but after a moment's worth of pause, a woman stepped forward. "I can kick your ass, you sorry little first class prep." Her blue eyes glittered madly into Henry's, her brown hair falling in curls onto her bare shoulders. She had on a short red dress that exemplified her curves. The men who had been considering Henry's wager laughed loudly. "Go ahead and try."

The girl smirked and leaned in closer to the man, a hand sliding up his arm to his shoulder. "I won't even_ have_ to try." The man snorted. "Some competition, it seems." The girl flipped her hair and turned back to Henry, smacking the man in the face with brown curls. She grinned and said, "Let's just play some pool."

She drew back her stick and aimed for only a second. The ball hit precisely where she had aimed, sending two balls into the holes. She smirked as Henry raised an eyebrow. He drew back his stick and aimed for almost a whole minute, the girl pretending to snore while leaning against her stick. He finally drew back and hit the white ball, it knocked into another, sending it soaring into the hole. He smirked back at the girl, but she did not return the smile.

Isaac watched the girl with sudden interest; she seemed so familiar, as though he knew her. Her piercing blue eyes seemed all too memorable, and her brown curls seemed to jog something in his mind that was just out of his memory's reach. He studied her small nose, her big eyes, her pink lips... It was as though he had met this woman before.

Lost in his thoughts, he had not noticed her habit of picking up random men's drinks and taking long swigs of the whiskey within. By the time she had won the game, she was wasted. "Thank you, thank you my audience! I want to thank my mom, thanks mom, gracias. I want to thank my pet dog, he always barks, you know, never shuts up. There was this one time he sang for my sister, it was hilarious, I can't stop thinking about it..."

Henry grabbed one of her arms, and Isaac grabbed the other. They pulled her backwards as she rambled about her 'singing dog'. Her feet slid on the ground as they dragged her from the party room, unable to stop her wild rambling. "And I'd like to thank myself, I'm so wonderful. I love you Katherine Hunter, thank you so much." Isaac suddenly stopped walking and let go of her arm, causing her to fall to the ground. Henry looked at the drunken woman with no emotion. "Oops," he said sarcastically. Isaac looked down at her. "Katherine?"

She looked up at him and grinned foggily. "Yes sir, can I help you?" He smiled as best he could. "Do you remember me, Isa-" Katherine snorted. "Of course! I remembered you the moment I saw you. I was just waiting for you to remember me!" Isaac grinned. "Really?" She nodded enthusiastically, attempting to stand. Her knees wobbled as she supported herself on the wall. She hiccuped lightly. Taking a step towards him, she replied groggily, "Yes, I remember everything since second grade." She giggled. "Remember Lindsay Walden? The lunch bell means-" Isaac burst into laughter. "Yeah, yeah I remember." Katherine giggled, hiccuping once more.

Henry sighed. "Not that this isn't fun but... What are we going to do with her? We can't exactly bring a drunk girl home... 'Hey Marian, look, Isaac just happened to stop by a junky little bar and pick up this drunk woman in a short little red dress, but nothing happened between them!' ...And we can't send her home..." He sighed. "I guess she'll have to stay in the spare bedroom in my apartment tonight." Katherine hiccuped, not understanding, but Isaac grinned appreciatively.

* * *

Emmerson reviewed the letter over and over, his brother Jefferson singing quietly to the music playing on the small radio beside the lounge chair. The violin resounded through the room so clearly, that Emmerson finally threw a pillow at it, causing it to fall to the floor and shatter. Jefferson scowled. "You'll be paying for that." Emmerson waved his hand in the air as though swatting away an annoying fly. His brother sighed. "You've read that letter a hundred times, just set it down." He shook his head, continuing to study the words scrawled messily onto the paper.

Jefferson frowned. "Who is it even from?" "Linda." His frown softened. "Oh. What does it say?" Emmerson cleared his throat. "Dear Ememrson, I am sorry for this sudden arrangement. I had no control over the situation, and I still do not. If it were up to me, and surely you as well, this marriage would never have been an option and we would both be happily living our lives like we were before. Instead you are on your way to New York and I am about to get married to a man I have never met. For this, I apologize.

"It is not that I do not want children, it is that I do not want to give _birth _to children. As well, I expect you to get a good-paying job in the city of New York so that we can buy ourselves a house. I don't want you to be a miner or a soldier. I want you to be a Psychiatrist for children. I will stay at home with the children we adopt.

"I apologize for the shortness of my letter; I only wanted you to understand the way our lives would have to be from now on. Sincerely, Linda..." Emmerson scowled. "She thinks that because she's an old lady and I've got my whole life ahead of me that she can just plan out my life for me? No. I'm the man in this relationship. She will bear a son for me." Jefferson sighed. "I see how it is. You're right though, she can't plan out your life for you."

Emmerson continued. "I want to be a nurse!" Jefferson snickered. "A man nurse, of course. In the emergency room. I want kids that my wife actually made with me, and I want to be on this ship going to meet the woman of my choice!" Jefferson sighed. "Life doesn't work that way, Emmerson. This marriage is final, and nothing but death can change that." Emmerson looked at Jefferson with an evil eye. "You wouldn't mind 'taking her out' would you?" "Oh my goodness, you're calling a hit on Linda!" The two brothers laughed for a moment.

After the laughter died, Jefferson looked at a small clock sitting upon the table. "Perhaps I should go. Kendall will be wondering whether or not I fell off the boat if I do not go check in with her." Emmerson grinned and nodded, reading the letter once more as Jefferson left.

Perhaps, if he read it just one more time, he would realize that the letter was indeed not sent from the Linda he would be marrying, but instead from a homocidal cannibal Linda. And that the Linda he would be marrying was actually beautiful, young like him, not so tall, and not as bossy.

XxXxX

Lori sat down on her bed, staring up at the boat. The sun was setting slowly over the horizon, a splash of pink, orange, and blue splattering the sky like paint on a canvas. The boat had anchored near the shore of Cherboug, France. She knew that the moment the sun dipped below the horizon, the dorms would be almost completely empty, all the people going to enjoy the night's glory. But secretly, Lori had been planning to slip into her stolen dress and enjoy the First Class' Masquerade Ball that night.

She was almost completely sure that the back staircase she had been using belonged to the worker's of the ship; that would explain the lack of passengers, and the pieces of coal that littered the stairs. That was better for her, because none of her new-found friends from her dorm would see her sneaking around the ship.

She was watching a small confused rat try to figure the way out of the glass jar her dorm-mate had trapped it in. Finally, she no longer needed to be bored; the bunkers had almost completely cleared up. She climbed her back-stairwell and gently pulled the dress from the rafters in the utility closet. She slipped the dress on and smiled to herself as she walked casually into the hallway she had stole the dress from. Being sure to walk further down from the room she had previously stole from, she knocked on a door; miraculously, no one answered. She pulled the knife from the inside of her tall boots and pried the door open. Within, the window's revelation of the moon lit the room enough so she could see the mask laying on the dresser.

Suddenly, from the bathroom within the ornate bunker, she heard movement. Lori quickly snatched the mask and ran from the apartment-like bunker. The door closed slowly behind her, and so she ran back to the staircase. When she had reached the safety of the stairs, she leaned against the wall. She gasped for breath, her heart pounding with the thrill of almost getting caught. The mask was a miracle; it matched her dress perfectly, as though sent from Heaven. With silent feet, she tip toed up the staircase to the Banquet Hall where the Masquerade Ball was being held.

There was a woman that slept in a room four doors down from Lori; she had a single pair of beautiful black and silver boots that she laid beneath her bed every night. Lori knew this, as she had heard the woman whisper to her husband about them. With no respect for privacy, Lori snatched the boots when the woman had left the room.

The outfit was beautiful, Lori grinned as the door creaked open to reveal the Lounge beyond. Lori casually walked into the bathroom to do her hair. She pulled out a headband she had owned for a long time, and put her hair up into a ponytail. With a second band, she created a large, curly bun on the back of her head, curls falling from the clump of hair like a waterfall. It was perfect, in every way. Tonight was her night, the first night of hopefully many more glorious night-time vanities.

She turned on the heel of her boots and strolled from the latrine. With a clack of her heel, she stepped onto the expensive, marble tile. She walked to a pitter-patter of her boots she had stolen. Lori saw doors with dim lighting beyond revealed the Banquet Hall, the Masquerade Ball. She stepped past the doorway, and grinned at the large crowd of buzzing First-Class-Passengers before her. With a single step towards the punch table a large man walked straight into her. She nearly toppled over, but he grabbed her shoulder, catching her fall.

The man looked very guilty. "I am so very sorry, my dear-" "Don't give it a second thought," she said, the feel of his hand slowly sliding down her arm giving her chills. "You look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?" He asked, his hand resting on her wrist. "I'm afraid not, sir. I don't remember you at all. No offense of course," she added quickly. He grinned. "None taken. Emmerson," the man stated, holding out his hand for introduction. "Lori," she said, shaking his hand. When the movement had ended, he did not take his hand away. "You have the most stunning eyes," he said, his green eyes looking directly into hers of a matching shade.

"Why thank you," she replied, a blush creeping to her cheeks. "Would you like to take a walk? It's quite loud in here for conversation." He asked quite suddenly. Lori, surprised by the rushed invitation, didn't reply at first. "I'm sorry to be so rash," He said, releasing her wrist at last. Lori grinned, taking a step closer and putting her hand on his arm. "Rash? Darling, that was just friendly!" He grinned, linking arms with her and leading her from the ball room, onto the deck.

"So, Lori," he said with a grin. "What brings you to this ship of dreams?" Lori hesitated. "It's something new. And what person would not LOVE to be one of the first on this unsinkable ship?" Emmerson laughed. "Unsinkable even by God himself." Lori giggled, tightening her grip on his arm. "It's very cold," she stated plainly. He nodded. "Yes, it is." Lori added, "This is why I hate winter. I prefer summer." Emmerson looked at her. "I like winter. There is snow, and in the summer there is merely storms." Lori considered that for a moment. "I guess you are right. Summer does hold many storms, and I do not like storms. But snow is pretty. And you can make snowmen, and sled..." Emmerson frowned. "Lori, you aren't not like many other girls I have met." Lori's heart raced. "How so?" He gave her a grin, stopping their walk and opening a door to their right. "You tell the truth. Into the Box Lounge you go," he said, motioning withing the door.

It was bright within, many beautiful and decorated lounge chairs within. She sat down upon one, her strapless dress lower then necessary. As Emmerson sat down, Lori noticed him look at them. He sat down extremely close, their legs touching as they talked for nearly an hour. By the time the clock struck midnight, they were laying side by side on the couch, laughing and smiling, the sides of their bodies touching. Lori looked at him, grinning from his last remark.

He looked at her, a smile lingering on his lips. "Do you realize we barely spent ten minutes in that ball?" Lori grinned. "I was barely in there for two." Emmerson let a small laugh escape his lips; with his face so close to hers, Lori could smell vanilla. Quite suddenly, he kissed her. His lips, tasting like vanilla as she had expected, pressed fiercely against hers. She rolled over to completely face him, kissing him. He was a rough kisser, pressing his face against hers as they kissed.

She needed him, in that moment. For some odd reason, kissing him just seemed... perfect.

He rolled towards her, on top of her, pressing himself against her. At the ring of the clock several minutes later, he pulled his lips away, her body warm beneathe his. "Lori, I need to go." Her face fell. "Why?" He sighed. "My family will be expecting me any minute." Lori clutched his chest, fury suddenly racing through her. "You're MARRIED?" Emmerson laughed. "No, of course not! I meant my mother, father, and brother!" Lori giggled, not releasing his tuxedo on his chest, but pulling him closer. Her lips pressed against his, warm as fire. "I'll try to meet you at the Banquet Hall tomorrow during lunch; be there." Lori grinned. He leaned closer, his lips nearly touching hers. But instead of kissing, he rolled off of her, and left the room.

Several minutes passed by, and Lori was still laying on the lounge chair, her dress falling in a beautiful poof around her legs and torso. She had stolen the perfect boots, dress, and mask; but could she keep up her secret veil of social status?

She stood, her eyes sparkling as they eyed the mask laying on the table beside the chair. She picked it up, putting it back on her face.

What a perfect night.

* * *

Previous to Lori's night of fun, Sarah sat on the couch within her room, her best friend Beth brushing blush upon Sarah's cheeks. "Beautiful," she said, looking at her artwork upon Sarah's face. With a grin, the doll looked into the mirror. "Thank you, Beth," Sarah said, a grin lingered between her cheeks. With a shove, Beth pushed her towards the door. "Quickly, Michael is waiting on you!"

Swiftly, she raced down the stairs, late for the ball. She slowed her run as she entered the double doors. With a grin, Michael greeted her. "Sarah, my darling," he said, touching her jaw with his hand. "I have not seen you for hours." Sarah gave him a grin. "Michael, its been merely two. Surely you can live without me for one hundred and twenty minutes." She took his hands, as he replied, "I can not live without you for even one." She smiled, giving him a tight hug. He pulled away, putting out his hand. "May I have this dance?" Sarah nodded, letting him lead her onto the floor in the middle of the room.

They danced slowly, Sarah looking over his shoulder for the man she had seen earlier that day to no avail. Sensing her detachment, he ended the dance prematurely, giving her an obviously fake smile. "I'll get us drinks." He walked off, his smile disappearing as soon as he turned around. Sarah watched him walk away, picking up the drinks, and...

spilling them onto his tux. The man who handed him the drinks had dropped them, wine splashing up onto his tuxedo. His anger-control issues took over. He threw the cups onto the floor, glass chattering everywhere. "Michael," she called with a frown, walking up. "Michael stop!" Another glass, shattering. "Michael!" She screamed. Another glass, lifted, and thrown to the floor at his feet. "Michael," she began, only to have a glass hit her feet. Her pumps did not protect them as the glass broke skin. She gasped, falling to her knees, more glass cutting her knees up.

Michael, furious, stormed from the ballroom, screaming in French all the way. Sarah clutched her knees, blood spilling from them. She hated blood, she hated blood, she hated blood. Her vision began to go black around the edges. Numbly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" A man's voice said, the obvious owner to the large hand on her shoulder. She looked up, and her vision snapped back to reality at the face.

It was the man she had seen in the lounge.

Shocked, if that is the right word, Sarah nodded. "I'm fine. It's just a scratch..." The man grinned. "That would explain with you nearly feinted." Sarah frowned. "I did not! I merely looked away because..." For once, Sarah was incapable of an excuse. The man gave her a crooked grin. "Don't worry, lots of ladies don't like blood." Sarah's frown did not leave her face as he ripped a piece of the tablecloth off from the table. The wine-bearer behind it, seeing Sarah was alright, began to pick up the shattered glass pieces.

"I'm Ty," the man, 'Ty', said quietly, wrapping the table-cloth squares around her bleeding knees. She replied, "I'm Sarah. I'd shake your hand, but it's covered in my own blood." Ty grinned. "Don't worry about it." As he switched her other knee, wrapping it in cloth, he switched the conversation as well. "So who was that? The man chucking the wine at your feet, I mean." Sarah thought quick. "My brother." Why she had not told him the truth, she did not know.

After he had wrapped up her knees and feet, Ty helped her stand up. He held her hand for one moment longer then necessary before letting go. "Are you here with you brother on a date, or may I have this dance?" On a crazy whim, Sarah agreed. They danced slow, and then fast, and then slow again, the conversation never growing awkward.

She seemed to click with him easily, as though he always said the right things to make her open up. Before long, the clocks struck midnight, the music's final note lingering in the air, colliding with the ring of the Midnight bells. With a grin and a slight wave, Ty disappeared into the leaving crowd, leaving Sarah with tingling lips at the kiss that floated in the air with the last song.

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, on all of my stories! This chapter is exactly 4,000 words long._


	4. Six Years

"Wake up, Isaac!"

His eyes blinked a few times before closing again. "Isaac," the voice whispered in his ear, soft lips tickling his cheek as the woman whispered his name. "You need to wake up." Finally, he opened his eyes to see Marian sitting inches away from him on his bed. "Good morning," he mumbled, his voice cracking with exhaustion. "You slept very late today," she said. Isaac always though she looked prettiest in her nightgown, and so he smiled at her. "You are so beautiful." "You need to get up and ready," she said, ignoring his comment." He put his hands on her hips, but she stood and pulled them off. "Isaac," she said sternly.

He groaned, rolling out of bed. She left the room as he began to undress, her dress skimming the carpet as the door closed. He had always wondered why she had such issues with his display of affection. His mind changed direction as he remembered Katherine in Henry's apartment. He wondered if they had done anything that night, and finally he decided they probably had not. He finally had a nice enough outfit on and a pair of Italian shoes. He ran a comb through his hair and examined himself in the mirror.

"I am one hot man," he said to himself. He turned on his heal and left the room at last. "Isaac," Marian said in a rush. "Our plans for this afternoon have been canceled, so Kristina and I are going to go make sure our wedding plans are in order." "I will see you later this even, Marian," he said, leaning down to kiss her softly. Marian gave him a soft kiss, but when Isaac put his arm around her, she pulled away and turned around. "Goodbye Isaac, I love you." He nodded. "Love you too."

The door shut, and Isaac stood there a moment before sighing, a strange feeling filling him inside. He left the room a few minutes later, locking the door behind him. He hesitated before walking down the hall towards Henry's room. He knocked upon the door to be greeted by a moment's worth of giggling. "I have it," he heard Henry say. A moment later, Henry opened the door. Clinging to Henry's arms were two blond females wearing short white dresses. "Isaac," Henry said with a wide grin. "Katherine has the best friends a man could ask for." Isaac stepped into the room to reveal four different woman.

The two blonds on Henry's arms, Daisy and Janice, giggled more than the other two girls. A girl with dark brown hair looked up at Isaac from her spot on the couch when he entered, a blanket wrapped around her. Isaac wondered what she was wearing beneath that. The fourth girl in the room wore a black dress that reached her knees, and had two thin straps. Her breasts were fairly large, and the dress pushed them up to make Isaac feel uncomfortable when she immediately greeted him. "Oh, Henry, who is this dashing man?" She asked, wrapping her arms around Isaac's neck. She hugged him tightly, pressing herself against him as though asking to be violated. Isaac did not hug her back.

Henry frowned. "Francesca, that is my best friend Isaac." Isaac stepped away from the girl with the big breasts and leaned against the wall a few feet in. Henry shut the door and looked at Daisy and Janice. "Ladies, can I have a moment with Isaac?" Daisy winked at Isaac. "Oh I'd like a moment with Isaac," she said, resulting in giggles from the other three girls. Francesca spoke up, replying, "A moment? Girl, I'd like a whole night with that boy." The girls giggled. Henry's voice squeaked as he complained. "Ladies, please, a moment." The girls went into the other room, shutting the door behind them. In the last six years since they had seen each other, Katherine had obviously changed alot.

"So," Isaac said, slightly annoyed. "You must have had a pretty fun night last night." Henry's mouth twisted into a grin, and his eyes grew wide. "You have no idea." He went on to describe the many midnight adventures Katherine's friends had provided for him, but Isaac interrupted him after only a few sentences. "I would really love to hear about you having sex with every girl you meet, but where is Katherine?" Henry laughed. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

Isaac ignored his remark, looking at him until he finally replied, "She is still asleep in the spare bedroom." Isaac lifted an eyebrow, and Henry needed nothing more to know what he was asking. "No, she slept all night. Nothing happened. Well, some stuff happened, but not with her. With her friends." He gave Isaac a big wink, to which Isaac replied with a roll of his eyes.

He stepped away from the wall he was leaning on and walked into the kitchen. He made a cup of water and then disappeared into the spare bedroom to which Henry had been referring. It was completely dark due to the fact that there was no windows, so Isaac lit a few candles with the matches on the dresser so he would not fall over anything. Before long, the room smelled like melting wax; Isaac closed his eyes and sniffed the air for a long moment before sitting on the edge of Katherine's bed.

"Katherine," he whispered in her ear. Perhaps he had leaned in too far, because his lips gently brushed against her cheek as he whispered. He leaned away quickly. "Katherine," he said quietly from further away. "Wake up," he said softly. He heard a yawn, and then she rolled over to reveal an open mouth, yawning for a long moment before stopping abruptly. Her eyes stayed closed for another second before she flickered them open.

"Good morning," he said, a small smile spreading across his lips. She looked confused. "Isaac?" He nodded. "Yes, it's me, Isaac." Katherine sat up, her short little red dress still on from the night before. She did not bother to pull it up higher, and instead looked at him. "Isaac?" she repeated. "Yes," he said. "What are you doing here?" He shrugged. "Thought I might stop by, see how you are doing... How ARE you doing?" She shrugged. "My mouth is dry, but other than that I can't complain."

Isaac handed her the cup of water he had made a few minutes before. She took it slowly, groggily. "Well," she said seriously. "I guess now I can't complain at all." She took a long swig, finishing the glass in record time. Isaac grinned. "You are very good at chugging," he observed. "Thank you," she said without sarcasm.

There was a brief moment of silence. "I haven't seen you in a long time." Issac nodded. "I know. Six whole years." "I missed you," she replied. He hesitated, glancing at her body and then back to her face. It seemed like she never blinked but once. "Did you really?" She nodded sincerely. "I really did. Alot." Isaac looked away from her eyes for a moment before looking back. "I missed you too. Alot. Six years was far too long." She smiled.

After another silent pause, Katherine pulled back the sheets. Her dress had lifted higher, no longer half thigh, but closer to her hips. Isaac had to look away to keep himself from thinking the thoughts he so badly wished to. She stood up, finally pulling down the bottom of her dress and lifting up the top. Isaac felt much more comfortable after that. Until she began searching through the drawers. She finally found men's pants and a button up white shirt, meant to be worn under a tuxedo. Isaac was about to get up and leave when she asked, "Will you unzip me?"

Chills ran up and down his body as his fingers touched the tan skin on her back. He slowly unzipped it until she said stop when the zipper reached her lower back. He took a step towards the door but it was too late. Katherine had already dropped the dress to the floor. Isaac looked at her, unable to stop himself. After a moment, he realized how wrong it was that he look at another woman while he was engaged, but she did not seem to notice. She was too busy buttoning one by one Henry's shirt over her torso.

Isaac looked at her helplessly. He had fallen in love with this girl too easily the first time, and he was letting it happen again. She finally looked up at him before the buttons had been fully buttoned over herself. "What?" She said innocently. "Need any help?" Isaac said jokingly.

She looked at him for a moment, before continuing to button them herself. Isaac sat back down on the bed after she had pants on and her shirt buttoned over her breasts. He took a deep breath, glad she was finally clothed and he was finally in his right state of mind. She sat down beside him, the sheets sliding off the bed. "How have you been since I left?" She asked. He shrugged. "I have been alright. I missed seeing you though."

Katherine nodded. "The only thing I ever missed after I left was you. You were the only thing I had back then." Isaac scratched the tip of his nose. "What did you do after you left?" She cleared her throat and didn't reply for a long moment, the aroma of candles filling the room. "I went a little insane," she said at last. "How do you mean?" She shrugged. "I stopped being a lady. I chugged beers, screwed too many guys to count, and stole a bunch of stuff." Isaac did not know what to say for a moment. "Living the crazy life, like you have always wanted." She nodded. "It's different now. I'm not wild anymore." "Clearly," Isaac said sarcastically. "Getting drunk, spending the night in Henry's bunker, being hungover all the next day, and being best friends with a bunch of prostitutes does not qualify you as wild." She looked at him for a moment as though studying him. "They aren't prostitutes," she said simply.

Isaac smiled. "As you say, Master Katherine." She giggled, pushing his arm jokingly. "You can be a sarcastic little man if you want, but we all know I could fight you and make you cry." Isaac grinned. "Oh yeah?" "Yeah, I-" Suddenly, he had her pinned to the bed and laughed. "I win." Katherine scowled. "That was luck." He rolled his eyes. "Sure. Skill is pinning you down, luck would be if you-"

He stopped suddenly as their eyes met. "If I what?" She whispered. Isaac bit his lip. "Nothing." Katherine looked up at him from her spot beneath him, and he smiled softly, leaning down as though in slow motion. The six years they had been apart slowly seemed to disappear like the space between their lips. After what seemed like 6 years, their lips met. Isaac moved his arms so she was not pinned down any longer, but only kissed her for a moment. She squirmed out from beneath him and laid on top of him. He could feel each button from her shirt.

"I love you, with my whole heart," she whispered. "Katherine," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "I can't be doing this with you, I have a fiance."

"Shhh," Katherine replied. The way her lips moved made Isaac get butterflies in his stomach. "She doesn't need to know." A few minutes later, the white shirt with the buttons that had once been covering Katherine's torso lay on the floor, along with the rest of their clothes.

* * *

_Author's Note: I know, it is kind of graphic, so I made it T. This chapter is the Marian, Isaac, and Katherine tale, but the next one will be one of the others._


	5. Long Walks, Long Kisses

Lori peaked up into the rafters. There was her dress, and there was her boots and mask, but she knew she could not wear the same dress as the night before. She sighed, collapsing against a bucket and leaning her head into her hand. The clocks all throughout the ship rung noon, and Lori knew that Emmerson would be waiting in the banquet hall for her just like he had asked her to do.

After the last ding resounded through the ship she stood and climbed a few more staircases. She finally reached the very top door, but knew that there would be no good rooms to steal from up there. She climbed down two more flights of stairs before finally reaching another door. She slipped in and walked down the hall, none of the rooms looking promising. At last, a man opened a door and stepped out. "Excuse me!" He said looking at her with disgust on his face. "Who let you onto this floor? Rats like you should be below." She scowled, her temper rising. "Well excuse me, sir, I mean no offense when I say your face looks like cheese." His face went blank. "Pardon?" She shoved past him. "Cheese face!" She cried.

The man did not follow her as she trekked down another hall. She knocked upon a random door she had chosen, and the door was answered by a woman with a dark red dress on that reached the floor and no shoes. "Can I help you?" The woman said, watching her face instead of preying her eyes on the dirty men's clothes she wore. "Yes," Lori lied. "I am terribly sick. Do you have any cough medicine?" The woman swung open her door. "Oh yes, dearie," the fat woman said. "Yes of course."

Lori stepped in as the woman swung the door closed once more. "How in the world did you get sick?" "I'm from below decks," Lori said honestly. The woman with thick red hair pulled out a large bottle of cough syrup. She rummaged through the cabinets for a cup. "Oh my, those decks are quite a health concern." Lori nodded. "Yes ma'am, they are. What brings you onto this wonderful ship?" She asked friendlily. The woman's hands stopped searching the cupboards for a moment. "My daughter died a few months back, and I am bringing her things back to America to sell." Lori said quietly, "I am so sorry." The woman continued searching. "I'm fine. I never caught your name, dearie." "Lori." "I am Margaret, nice to meet you."

Margaret closed the cabinet door. "I am going to look for a cup in the sink, I will be right back." She left the room, her dress dragging on the floor behind her. Lori opened a suitcase as soon as she was gone. She pulled out a dress that must have been her daughter's, for it was much too small for Margaret. Lori shut the suitcase and opened the front door to her room, almost out when she heard "Hold it."

Lori closed her eyes tight and sighed. "Get back in here," Margaret said. Lori stepped back into the room, shutting the door. "You never coughed," Margaret said. "So I knew you were faking it the whole time." She sat back down on the edge of the chair she had been in moments before and rubbed her temples. "Lori, why were you stealing a dress?"

* * *

Lori looked in the full body mirror. The dark red dress fell perfectly over her shoulders and fell into a curved V right above her nipples. The dress reached the floor, gently sliding along the carpet when she walked. It was a little loose around her upper body, which made it very hard to keep from falling too far down, or completely off. Lori did not see this as a problem, as she was meeting Emmerson, not his mother. Her eyes had a beautiful blue eye shadow on them, and thick mascara on the lashes. Her blush made her cheeks look rosy and her skin look perfect. Margaret grinned. "You look gorgeous. Now go see Emmerson, I am sure he is waiting."

Lori slammed the door behind her after a rushed goodbye, darting to the Banquet Hall as fast as her feet would carry her. She saw Emmerson ahead, standing near a silver and glass door. She slowed her run to a walk and pulled her dress up just a tad to keep her bosoms in her dress. "Emmerson," she said quietly when she got up next to him. He turned, looking down at her from his height towering above her. "Wow," he said quietly. "You look amazing." Lori grinned, glad to be appreciated. "Thank you," she replied. "You look quite good yourself."

He smiled, looking down at her. They were standing oddly close, and Lori realized he was not looking down in her eyes, but in her shirt. "Shall we take a walk?" She asked, smiling. "Yes, of course," he said, taking her hand in his. "Where to?" She asked politely. "How about the Sky Deck?" He replied. "That is fine with me," she said with a shrug.

He rubbed her hand gently as they climbed up the beautiful stairwells to the top of the ship; climbing the stairs made Lori think of her staircase, which she would soon have to climb down to reach her room. She shrugged the thoughts away as he put his air around her waist. "Where are you from?" He asked quietly, starting conversation. "England," she lied. "London, actually." He grinned, his hand cupping her hip. "I visited there once or twice," he said casually. She smiled in return. "Beautiful place," she replied, having no idea what London looked like. "I guess so," he said. "Italy is much more beautiful." She froze up inside, not knowing what to say.

"Not as beautiful as you," he added, smiling down at her. The sun shone down on them as people around them laughed and talked. "You're too sweet," she said. He smiled back. "Not quite." She looked at his hands. "Well, you are sweet enough for me." Emmerson laughed. "Well, I'm glad you think so." "I am too." The sun stopped shining as they entered a small room that contained what smelled like cinnamon.

They fell into an awkward silence. Emmerson wasn't sure what to say. Lori wasn't sure if Emmerson even had feelings for her. "Lori?" He finally asked. "Yes?" She replied, glad to fill the silence. "I'm so glad I met you." She gave a small smile, looking up at him. She was surprised to realize his face was so close to hers. "Lori?" "Yes," she whispered, answering his unspoken question. He kissed her, and they stopped waking. She wrapped her arms around his neck, but he put his arms behind her and his hands on her shoulders. He seemed awkward when it came to relationships, but Lori thought it was cute.

After a long kiss, he pulled away. "Are you a virgin?" Lori froze. "Emmerson?" He smiled. "What?" She replied, "I'm not going to do that..." He shook his head. "I wouldn't want to, I was just wondering." Lori knew this was a lie. No person would randomly ask a question like that without intentions behind the words. "Promise?" She asked.

"I promise," he said, leaning in to kiss her once more. She kissed him back, their lips pressed together. The way he kissed seemed desperate, like he needed her. She loved it. He pressed her against the wall, kissing her. She tried to catch her breath, but Emmerson did not stop for several long moments. She breathed heavily when he stopped, and smiled. "Oh god..." she whispered, knowing in that moment she was falling for this man she barely knew. "I know," he whispered back, knowing in that moment she was the only thing he needed.

* * *

_Author's Note: When I started writing, this was my favorite story, but I have decided That Isaac's love story is my favorite (:_


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